Tubing head



y 1935- A. J. PENICK ET AL 2,046,579

' TUBING HEAD Filed Oct. 27, '1934 Patented July 7, i936 STATES TUBING HEAD Arthur J. Penick and Kirby T. Penick, Houston, Tex.

Application October 27, 1934, Serial No. 7503 10 RElSSUEc '1 Claims. (01. 235-22) This invention relates to a tubing head. An object of the invention is to provide a tubing head having a hanger therein designedto v support an inner tubing in a well and to form a close fit with the head proper so as to close the space between the tubing and the outer pipe or casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for locking the hanger, and the tubing supported thereby in position to the end that they will not be displaced by internal pressure in the well; the means for securing ,the hanger against displacement from the head proper is accessible from the outside of the head so that the same can be conveniently manipulated into position to lock the hanger in place or to release the same.

Means have been heretofore provided for looking or securing the hanger in position on the seat 26 in the head, but such locking means have been placed within the head and are not readily accessible without removing the blowout preventer or other connection at the top of the head or working through said preventer or connection. It is the prime object of this invention to provide means for securing the hanger on the seat of the head which may be conveniently manipulated into either active or inactive positions.

With the above and other objects in view, the

39 invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation, and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:--

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the head, partly in section.

Figure 2 shows a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified form thereof, and

Figure 3 shows a fragmentary sectional view of still another modification.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates a tubular casing head adapted to be connected to the upper end of the well casing 2 and having the inside downwardly converging seat 3. The head I has the lateral connections 4, 4, beneath said seat for the connection of flow-lines thereto. On the seat 3 there is the 50 tubing hanger 5 whose lower end is downwardly tapered to conform to the taper of and to fit within the seat 3. The tapering portion of the hanger has the surrounding packing rings .6 seated in grooves therein and forming a fluidtight joint with said seat. Above the tapered portion of the hanger it is reduced in diameter forming an external annular shoulder on which is located packing rings 8 and on these rings there is a metal hold-down ring 9 whose upper s'iie is downwardly and outwardly tapering, as at 8 A look ring ll surrounds the reduced upper end of the hanger and is countersunk into the hanger and secured therein by suitable set screws l2 and abuts the upper end of the ring 9 to hold 10 the same securely in place. A very efficient packing is thus formed between the hanger and the head proper.

The upper end of the hanger is internally threaded, as at l3, to receive the externally threaded lower end of a section of pipe through which the hanger, and the tubing 5a. suspended therefrom, may be handled in lowering or withdrawing same from the well.

One or more housings l4, M, are threaded into, or through, the head, above the seat 3, and threaded through these housings are the locking screws i5. The inner ends of these screws are beveled, or tapered, to conform to the taper 25 of the face l0. When the hanger 5 is landed into place on the seat 3, the screws l5 may be screwed inwardly by the application of a wrench to the heads I! thereof, and the tapered inner ends I6 will engage over the faces ll] of the lock rings 9 to lock the hanger in place and to expand the packing rings 8. I

The outer ends of the housings it may be closed by the caps 3, which are screwed thereto.

when it is desired to withdraw the tubing, the 35 caps l8, may be removed and the screws I5 screwed outwardly to clear the ring 9 and the hanger and tubing then withdrawn. In withdrawing the tubing, particularly when there is pressure in the well, it is withdrawn through a 4@ suitable blowout preventer attached to the upper end of the head I of any conventional construction and which has been designated generally by the numeral l 9. This blowout preventer is provided to confine the pressure, and 46 while the tubing is being withdrawn under such circumstances, the caps l8 should be screwed back into place so as to prevent any leakage pm the screws l5.

In the form shown in Figure '2 the housings Ho. 50 are formed integrally with the head, and screws iii are screwed through the wall of the head.

In the form shown in Figure 3 the caps l8 have been dispensed with and suitable stufflng boxes locking device.

I. In combination a tubular head having an inside supporting seat, a tubular hanger on the seat, a. housing on the head, a substantially radial locking device in the housing and having a threaded connection whereby it may be screwed into active position to engage the hanger and into inactive position to release the hanger, and a stufling box in the housing fitted around said 2. The combination with a tubular head having an inside seat, of a tubular hanger on the seat having an external tapering face and a surrounding packing", means extending through the wall of the head and forming a leak-proof joint therewith and including a screw having a threaded connection with the head and extending in a substantially radial direction and adapted to be screwed inwardly to engage said tapered face and expand said packing and also to secure the hanger on said seat and also adapted to be screwed outwardly to release said packing and hanger. v

3. The combination with a tubular head having an inside seat and formed for the attachment of a blow out preventer to the upper end thereof,

of a tubular hanger on the seat having an external tapering face, and a packing therearound,

hanger-engaging means having a threaded connection'with the head, and extending in a substantialiy radial direction and adapted to be screwed inwardly to engage said tapering face, and expand said packing, as well as to secure the hanger on the seat, said means being also adapted to be screwed outwardly to release both the packing and the hanger and means for preventing the escape of fluid under pressure outwardly past the hanger-engaging means.

4. A tubular tubing hanger having surrounding packing seated therein and having its upper end reduced to form an external annular upwardly aoeaoro facing shoulder above said packing, an annular packing around the reduced portion of. the hanger and seated on said shoulder, a metal hold-down ring around the hanger and on the last-mentioned packing whose upper side tapers downwardly and 5 outwardly.

5. In combination, a tubular head having an inside, downwardly tapering seat, a tubular blowout preventer connection on the head whose inside diameter is not less than the minimum inside diameter of the head, a tubular hanger whose lower end is externally tapered to fit said seat. the tapered portion of the head having external annular packing therearound which is countersunk into the hanger and which forms a fluidtight joint with said seat, said hanger having an external upwardly facing shouider, annular packing on said shoulder forming fluid-tight joints with the hanger and with the head, an annular hold-down ring on the last-mentioned 20 packing whose upper surface is downwardly and outwardly tapered, a locking ring around and countersunk into the hanger and abutting the upper side of the hold-down ring, locking screws threaded through the head radially and whose 25 inner ends are beveled to conform to thetaper ing'portion of'and to engage with the tapering upper side of, the hold-down ring, and means for preventing the escape of gas under pressure outwardly through the threads connecting the lock- 30 ing screws to the head."

6. In a tubing head, a tubular tubing hanger having an annular external upwardly facing shoulder, annular packing around the hanger on said shoulder, a rigid ring around the hanger 35 on the packing, a locking ring around the hanger forsecuring the assembly together whereby it may be lowered into, and withdrawn from,'the head as a unit.

7. In a tubing head, a tubular hanger formed 40 for the connection of a tubing thereto and having an external annular upwardly facing shoulder thereon, annular packing around the hanger on said shoulder, a metal ring around the hanger on the packing whose upper face is downwardly and outwardly tapered, and means for maintaining said ring and packing assembled as a. unit with the hanger.

ARTHUR J. PENICK.

KIRBY 'r. PEN'ICK. 

